PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: primate@armenian.com.au

2 October 2008

300TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT OF THE ARMENIAN HOLY NAZARETH CHURCH IN KOLKATA,
INDIA FROM 8-16 NOVEMBER

The Armenian Holy Nazareth Church of Kolkata will celebrate its 300th
anniversary and attached is a Media Release "Armenian Churches in India –
300th Anniversary Celebrations 8-16 November 2008" with the program of
events being planned.

His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
will honour the occasion with a Pontifical Visit and will be accompanied by
a delegation which will include His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian,
Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand
and Pontifical Legate of India & Far East. The first official duty of His
Holiness will be the reconsecration of the newly renovated Armenian Church
in Chennai which was originally constructed in 1712. The Church, which is
dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary, is one of the oldest churches of the
Indian subcontinent. Among other prominent Armenians, Reverend Father
Haroutyun Shmavonian, the founder of Armenian journalism and editor of the
first Armenian journal ‘Azdarar’, is buried there.

The eight day itinerary of the 300th anniversary events which includes the
Chennai program will provide a good opportunity for pilgrims to visit the
Armenian Churches of India and the Armenian College and Philanthropic
Academy to truly understand the historical and significant presence of
Armenians in the Far East.

For those interested in participating in the event, please contact the
office of the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth, India on
office@armenianchurch.in or co-ordinators, Helena Cray ram0414@msn.com for
US based residents and Liz Chater liz@chater-genealogy.com for residents of
UK and other locations.